complete streets-midland style keith baker, aicp, cfm ... · director of planning & community...

Complete Streets-Midland Style

Keith Baker, AICP, CFM

Director of Planning & Community Development, City of Midland


• What is Complete Streets?

• Complete Streets is the establishment of a process to ensure that roadways are designed and operated to enable safe access along and across a street for all users of all ages and abilities including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and those with disabilities, in addition to automobiles.


• How did Midland Pursue Complete Streets?

• Local Advocacy Groups („06)

• Master Plan Provision („07)

• Planning Commission Study Com. („08)

• Local Events („09)

• Non-Motorized Transportation Plan („09)

• Complete Streets Policy Adoption („10)


• Midland Complete Streets Resolution

• Our policy is advisory not mandatory

• Requires review of all new construction projects but prioritizes streets in the NMT plan

• Allows discretion by City Council based upon public input and funding availability

• Component of an overall Non-Motorized Transportation Plan


• Advisory Committee

• Started as a “grass roots” effort to improve bike and pedestrian safety and ability to travel in the community.

• LAB Workshop

• “Bicycle Friendly”

• Bike/Ped counts

• Complete Streets


• Committee looks at sidewalks, bike lanes, paths, street crossings, electric mobility devices (Amigos/wheelchairs)

Non-Motorized Routes


Non-Motorized Transportation

• City & private funding

• Bicycle route signs and markings

• Share the road markings and signs

• Sidewalk Improvements


• How did we pay for it?

• Friends of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail grant

• Great Lakes Loons grant

• Tri-City Cyclists grant

• City of Midland street funds

• Midland Area Community Foundation grant


• Ongoing projects…

• Intersection crosswalk improvements

• Swede Ave. bike lane

• Bike racks

• Signage

• News articles

• Bike-to-Loons

Game event


• Lessons learned…

• Need publically driven/grass roots support

• Include Engineering Dept. early on

• Planning takes time

• Build support through media, PR, special events, speakers, workshops

• Be persistent but flexible to achieve goals


• How might the recent changes in State law affect us…

• Validates the city‟s early efforts in pursuing a Complete Streets policy

• Sets parameters for revisions to the city‟s Master Plan during the next 5 yr. update

• Already exceeding minimum expenditure percentage on NMT


• How might the recent changes in State law affect us (cont…)

• Improves quality of MDOT projects

• Improves competitiveness/eligibility for Transportation Enhancement Grant program (if it survives budget cuts)

• Legal justification for best practices


• Complete Streets resources…

• Michigan Municipal League http://www.mml.org/resources/information/complete_streets.html

• State of Michigan Complete Streets

• http://mihealthtools.org/mihc/CompleteStreets.asp

• Michigan Complete Streets Coalition

• http://michigancompletestreets.wordpress.com/

• League of American Bicyclists

• http://www.bikeleague.org/

http://www.mml.org/resources/information/complete_streets.html

http://www.mml.org/resources/information/complete_streets.html

http://mihealthtools.org/mihc/CompleteStreets.asp

http://michigancompletestreets.wordpress.com/

http://www.bikeleague.org/


• Contact information:

• Keith Baker, AICP, CFM

• City of Midland – www.midland-mi.org

• [email protected]

• 989-837-3379

http://www.midland-mi.org/



mailto:[email protected]



complete streets-midland style keith baker, aicp, cfm ... · director of planning & community...

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